Source: Daily_Mail
Ref Dean is a 'stupid' pick for final, rants Blades boss Blackwell
Sheffield United manager Kevin Blackwell lambasted the choice of Mike Dean to referee his side's Championship playoff final with Burnley, branding it 'stupid and inexplicable'.
It is the first time Dean has been appointed to a United game since he was embroiled in controversy over their Sheffield derby defeat at Hillsborough in October.
Blackwell revealed he has made an official complaint about the experienced Barclays Premier League referee being placed in charge of Monday's promotion showdown at Wembley.
United lost 1-0 against neighbours Wednesday after defender MattKilgallon was contentiously sent off in the first half - a decisionwidely condemned by football experts but upheld by an FA panel afterUnited appealed.
Blackwell said: 'Everybody knows about that controversy and yet who do we have for the final? Yes, Mike Dean. It's stupidity.
'I've not asked for him to be replaced but I've spoken to the people who make the appointments. I've had no response so far.
There is no common sense here.
'Apart from the appointment not being fair on me or Sheffield United, it's not fair on Mike Dean. There will be 40,000 Sheffield United fans screaming down his neck because of what happened last time.'
Blackwell, who feels Dean has been put under unnecessary pressure,added: 'He's a good referee and I respect him. But the fact is that Imarked him very low after that Hillsborough game and his performancethere was poor.
'The sending-off was laughed at by people in football. Now everybodywill be looking out for him... for a controversial decision that mightgo our way or for Burnley.
'Why haven't we had him in an earlier game and then all of that could have been put to bed? It's stupid because there are loads of top referees who could have got this game, the biggest in club football.
'Our last meeting with Mike Dean was less than amicable, so I'm very angry that those who run the game have let common sense go out of the window.
'I'd love an explanation and I'm waiting for one. It's just ashame we are talking about the referee even before the game.'
Ironically, it is the second time Dean will have refereed a Blackwell team in a promotion decider, having presided over his Leeds side's defeat by Watford in 2006.
He described himself as surprised when the appointment was made because he becomes only the second referee - after Graham Poll - to be given the Championship final on two occasions.